A MERRY Christmas awaits the whole of Merseyside yet there is no disputing who left Anfield the merrier last night.

Mothers throughout the region got the scoreline of their prayers as the 167th Merseyside derby ended goalless to ensure there will be even fewer fights than usual among divided families on Wednesday.

For the managers of Merseyside though, the respective festive celebrations are likely to be much different.

One of the most eagerly-anticipated derbies in years ended with honours even and the city united. But with both clubs united in terms of chances, strength and, most importantly, promise that is a more sobering thought for Gerard Houllier than David Moyes today.

Regardless of having to worry about the FA punishing Steven Gerrard for his scandalous tackle on Gary Naysmith, the Reds boss may be toasting the end of his title dream early in the New Year unless there is a dramatic recovery in results.

A Premiership push cannot be ruled out in a season where the leading pack are throwing away points like confetti and Liverpool, despite taking just two points from the last 21, can still find themselves fifth.

But at the half-way point in the season it is going to require a dramatic improvement in performance, penetration and purpose if the second half is to end with the trophy all of Anfield believed was a realistic target just two months ago.

A stereotypical derby is an impossible barometer of whether the Reds have made necessary strides in the past five days but the bottom line is this was a derby Liverpool desperately needed to win and didn't.

Instead, it was Everton who scored the moral victory and who savoured a contest that showed they have managed to close the chasm between the teams in just five months.

They went into the game above Liverpool in the table and left the same way, and with the knowledge their climb into the Champions League placings has been no fluke. Can it be sustained? On this display it is only the size of their squad that can hinder the Blues as they proved they can live with the wealthy elite.

It was not the big-money signings that dominated yesterday's tense if hardly enthralling derby though, but two homegrown talents on whom so much was expected. They didn't disap-point, even if their impact was the opposite of what many had presumed.

"Rooney's gonna get you!" taunted the visiting fans as Everton, minus two key defenders through suspension and starting with two injured fullbacks, comfortably kept their hosts at bay during the first half.

But while Wayne's fairytale ending didn't quite live up to the script he came closer than anyone to becoming Liverpool's bogeyman as well as Goodison hero.

A smile and a clenched fist salute to the home fans marked his first contribution of the game, and that was just when he started warming up in the sixth minute! Within a minute of coming on he left Chris Kirkland needing treatment after the six foot-plus keeper bounced off the Everton striker, then was involved in a strong penalty shout after being held by Stephane Henchoz while Emile Heskey tripped Kevin Campbell as the injured Kirkland spilled a throw.

In the 74th minute he produced the footballing moment of the match when he turned away from Sami Hyypia and shaped for what would have proved the winner, only for his blistering goalbound drive to deflect off Henchoz's leg and strike the bar.

Rooney, the youngest player ever to appear in a Merseyside derby, was also a model of self-control until the final flash-point, which sadly cannot be said of Liverpool's local star Gerrard.

The Reds midfielder produced another commanding display and was at the heart of all Liverpool's brightest play. But as we approach the feast of Steven (sic) it is not his performance that this derby will be remembered for but the 88th-minute lunge on Naysmith that led to the game's only major controversy.

Having already managed to escape without a word from referee Graham Poll for a first half swing at Tony Hibbert, Gerrard (left) went further and much too far when he launched what TV replays later suggested was a deliberate two-footed stamp on Everton's Scottish midfielder.

Naysmith's chilling yelp could be heard high above the derby atmosphere but incredibly neither the referee, who booked seven players for mostly innocuous offences, the fourth official nor the linesman saw anything wrong and gave the Reds a throw-in.

That was not before the inevitable mass melee took place, with Rooney and Kevin Campbell involved, and while Gerrard was very lucky to escape he may not get off entirely Scot-free if the FA decide to take another look.

The Reds' frustration was understandable though, as they never convincingly took the chance to revive their season at their rivals' expense.

After the usual frenetic opening it was Everton who emerged the stronger, dominating possession though rarely getting behind the Reds defence.

By contrast Liverpool edged the first-half chances, John Arne Riise twice being foiled by fine Richard Wright saves with Gerrard and Michael Owen also going close, but their performance was surprisingly lacklustre given the confidence rush of the thriller at Villa.

Their reluctance to venture forward and reliance on the long ball over the top stirred the Kop's frustration, with numerous wayward passes doing little for the quality.

It was a sure sign of under-achievement that Houllier was forced into a double substitution after only 52 minutes and the decision worked as the Reds finally forced Everton onto the back foot.

Heskey had been on barely a minute when he headed Gerrard's delightful free-kick wide, while Jamie Carragher's quick set-piece should have been dealt with much better by the big striker only to miscontrol when clean through.

Even with the second-half ascendancy though the Reds never delivered any real threat to the commanding Wright, and credit for that must go to the awesome contribution of his defenders. All were superb, but Alan Stubbs and recalled Alessandro Pistone were absolutely immense.

At the other end Tomasz Radzinski wasted a glorious chance to repay Moyes' faith in him when he miscued in front of the Kop following David Weir's flick-on, while Lee Carsley also stung Kirkland's otherwise cold fingers.

Chances may have been at a premium but courtesy of Rooney and Gerrard the derby still generated enough talking points for Christmas week. The season of goodwill went missing at Anfield, but one half of Merseyside won't care about that.